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Dodgers avoid arbitration with Ellis, Belisario

10/2/12: A.J. Ellis fires a strike to second base, nailing Gregor Blanco attempting to steal in the top of the ninth inning

By Ken Gurnick
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MLB.com |

LOS ANGELES -- The Dodgers settled both of their potential arbitration cases Friday, signing starting catcher A.J. Ellis to a one-year deal for $2 million and reliever Ronald Belisario to a one-year deal for $1.45 million.

Ellis, 31, is coming off his first year as a regular, hitting .270 with 13 homers and 52 RBIs and throwing out 36 potential basestealers, second in the league. His 131 games caught were third in the league, as were his 11 passed balls. He made $490,000 last season.

Belisario, 30, is coming off a remarkable comeback season after missing the entire 2011 campaign because he tested positive for cocaine. He went 8-1 with a 2.54 ERA, despite serving a 25-game suspension at the start of the season for the failed test and posting a 6.60 ERA in July. He received $480,000 last year. Belisario also will receive $50,000 if he makes 70 appearances.

Both players are Super Twos, qualifying for arbitration with at least two years and 139 days of Major League service. Both players have two years and 151 days of service.

Ken Gurnick is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.